Group Therapy for Athletes

Processing, Reflecting, and Integrating Purpose, Self Worth, and Identity within Success and Competition

Group Therapy for Current and Former Athletes 

Whether you’re actively competing or years removed from your sport, navigating life as an athlete can bring a unique set of emotional and relational challenges. Athletes are taught to push through, perform, and achieve often at the expense of emotional expression, sustainability, and self-compassion. When the structure of competition shifts or ends, this transition can feel destabilizing and even isolating. Many are left wondering: Who am I without my sport? 

Wellington Counseling Group is pleased to offer Redefine the Finish Line, a 12-week group therapy group designed specifically by athletes for current and former athletes ages 20–40. This group provides a safe, supportive environment for athletes to explore who they are beyond performance, make sense of these life changes, and reconnect with themselves in meaningful ways. Sessions are facilitated by Gabrielle Bennett, MA, LSW and Joshua Zoldan, MA, MPC, who bring extensive expertise in athletic competition, athlete wellness, identity development, and emotional processing.

What Does This Group Offer?

Redefine the Finish Line is a therapeutic process space designed to help athletes understand the emotional layers beneath their drive, discipline, and competitive identity. With peers who share similar lived experiences, participants will have the opportunity to:

• Process transitions such as graduating, retiring from sport, switching teams, or returning after time away
  
• Explore perfectionism, fear of failure, burnout, and the pressure to “keep performing”
  
• Make sense of injury, loss, and the grief that can accompany shifts in athletic identity
  
• Navigate interpersonal relationships, teammate dynamics, trust, and communication
  
• Address body image concerns and the evolving relationship to one’s physical self
  
• Redefine success, self-worth, and identity with more nuance and authenticity
  

This is not a performance-coaching group; it is a therapeutic process group rooted in relational and emotional exploration. Members will examine the beliefs that have fueled their drive and learn how to replace self-criticism with curiosity, empathy, and balance.

Being competitive can be a strength: it drives achievement, discipline, and excellence. But sometimes, that same drive can lead us to shame, anxiety, and exhaustion. The pressure can rise to a level that feels unyielding, where even rest feels like failure. In this group, we aren’t here to pathologize or take away your competitive edge. We’re here to help you understand it, balance it, and find peace with the parts of yourself that have always been pushing for “more.” Our goal is to help members balance their ambition with self-compassion, emotional awareness, and a grounded sense of identity.

Weekly Themes Include:

• Introductions & Identity: Who am I beyond sport?
  
• Perfectionism, comparison, mindset, and pressure
  
• Burnout and loss of motivation
  
• Injury, life transition, and loss
  
• Team dynamics, trust, and belonging
  
• Body image, confidence, and self-worth
  
• Redefining success and failure
  
• Motivation vs. self-criticism; the “inner saboteur”
  
• Life beyond competition: purpose, career, relationships
  
• Integration, resilience, and next steps
  

Group Goals

This group is designed to help athletes:

• Build emotional intelligence and self-awareness
  
• Reduce perfectionism and shame
  
• Strengthen self-compassion and internal balance
  
• Normalize mental health and help-seeking in competitive environments
  
• Process life transitions in a supportive community
  
• Develop healthier relationships with success, failure, and motivation
  
• Foster resilience rooted in acceptance rather than punishment
  

Session Details

Location:
Wellington Counseling Group – Chicago
(River North office or Telehealth, based on participant preference)

Duration:
12-week group | Weekly sessions (60–75 minutes)

Eligibility:
Athletes/Competitors ages 20–40, from any sport or competition level

Insurance & Fees:
Insurance-eligible and self-pay options; details provided during registration

Enrollment

Participants will complete a brief intake form and a 15-minute pre-screening call to ensure the group is a good fit for their needs and goals.

Ready to Learn More or Reserve Your Spot?

Contact Gabrielle Bennett, MA, LSW at Wellington Counseling Group today and ask about Redefine the Finish Line. We look forward to supporting you as you navigate this next chapter in your life.